Emmanuelle Tulliez: What were you doing 30 years ago? Where were you, and what did a hotel mean back then?
Alix Boulnois: 30 years ago, I wasn’t even ten years old. I was living in Djibouti and the only hotel worthy of the name was a Sheraton. It was the place to be in Djibouti. The Sheraton had a superb swimming pool and was the place where everyone went to have a good time. That’s how I imagined hotels, through the eyes of an eight-year-old. And there were lots of Americans around the pool, because it was a big American military base.
ET: Today, we’re going to talk about digital tools and how to use them. You’re well placed to talk about this, as you have a unique approach to the subject. We know that our industry is constantly evolving. But which do you think are the most important things to consider when it comes to these changes? And why do we need to embrace them?
AB: What’s interesting about our industry is that it’s constantly evolving, for a variety of reasons, some deliberate, some not. We’ve experienced digital disruptions with OTAs, Airbnb, and now AI. These disruptions have had a profound impact on our sector.
There are also more unexpected disruptions, like the vacuum, which has acted as a real disruption, forcing us to change. The USG part is also one. Technology continues to evolve and grow. And it’s for all these reasons that we can’t remain static.
We have to constantly question our way of doing things, our strategy. This is why transformation, although often perceived as a dirty word, is actually becoming a state of mind. Every day, we have to move forward and change our methods. Otherwise, little by little, we risk disappearing.
ET: And to…
